Why is Satan bad?

[eudaimonia]

I think Satan has received a bad rap. A reputation fueled my rumour, faith, heresay and biased writings. All anyone ever knows about Satan is what is written in the Bible and if one reads the Bible carefully, God clearly has demonstrated more atrocities and more deeds that many people would deem evil than Satan could ever do.

There's a small problem with this logic. It could be God that was given the bad rap. "A reputation fueled by rumor, faith, heresay, and biased writings."

If God actually does exist, perhaps this is his test to discover who the moral people really are. The ones who deny the Bible on the basis that Biblical God is an evil monster (which the Biblical God clearly is) will be the real God's favored ones.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Azakel]

First, the answer to the question of the thread, " why is satan bad?" is because he chose to be.

Bit off topic, but I never could understand this, from what I unstand Angel don't have freewill so how could he chose.

The reason that you would deem a christian more trustworthy than a nonchristian is that they are answerable to God (as we all are) but they know what is expected of them, they have given their hearts to God so would be convicted if they behaved in a non christian like way, and as a christian you have to show the world how to live a rightous and honest life.(going by the Bible) It is more likely for an unsaved person to give into sin than a saved person, though not impossible.

Sorry, didnt read OP properly ,oops! I thought it was a case of why would you trust a christian more than a non christian, as K.purr said, christians believe in satan. Do you mean a satanist? Someone who worships satan?

I know it's not what you might have meant but what I get from this is that Non-Christians are not trustworthy, I feel alittle offended(only a little ^_^).

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

>Why is satan bad?

Very simple.

Because in the Baha'i view, "satan" refers not to some devil or evil spirit (there being no such thing), but to OUR OWN lower (animal) nature, when we give it control instead of our higher (spiritual) nature!

In a human, the animal nature is relatively bad (more self-centered and uncaring) compared to the spiritual nature.

(In animals, this isn't a problem as unlike humans, they have no eternal soul and are simply living and exhibiting their inherent qualities.)

Regards,

Bruce

 

[porkchop]

Bit off topic, but I never could understand this, from what I unstand Angel don't have freewill so how could he chose.



I know it's not what you might have meant but what I get from this is that Non-Christians are not trustworthy, I feel alittle offended(only a little ^_^).

Please don't be offended Azakel. Im saying this is what i think the reason is for why some may see a christian more trustworthy than a non christian. I ve seen some nonchristians behave better than some christians in my time so it is not always the case, but i do notice myself the difference that people do trust me more than before i was saved.

Also, angels have freewill as much as we do, otherwise how would satan have fallen?
Nice meeting you by the way!

 

[Kcnorwood]

First of all I dont believe in Satan but that's not the point. Bibically your only hearing one side of the bible, second I believe that he was trying to enlighten us not damn us.
It seemed that for some reason God wanted humans to be like sheep & the devil thought we should be able to think for ourselves.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

You gonna be happy saying that to God on judgement day?

I'll proudly say something along those lines on judgment day.

I think Satan has received a bad rap. A reputation fueled my rumour, faith, heresay and biased writings. All anyone ever knows about Satan is what is written in the Bible and if one reads the Bible carefully, God clearly has demonstrated more atrocities and more deeds that many people would deem evil than Satan could ever do.

Well, while God has committed mass genocide, on a scale that needs it's own term, Satan OTOH only killed 7 people in the Bible. God even sent his own son to die in a brutal way, rather than create an alternative plan based on less blood shed.

 

[Ringer]

Well, while God has committed mass genocide, on a scale that needs it's own term, Satan OTOH only killed 7 people in the Bible. God even sent his own son to die in a brutal way, rather than create an alternative plan based on less blood shed.

To think that Satan has only killed 7 people in biblical times seems ridiculous to me. Furthermore, How Jesus died so that we can receive salvation seems irrelevant. God didn't sacrfice his Son in the same way you would have if you were God.....big deal. It baffles me when people have the mindset of, ' If I was God I wouldn't have done it that way and therefore he isn't God or the God that I want to believe in.'.

It's pretty simple why Satan gets a bad wrap from a Christian vantage point and I guess it's no surprise that people would embrace Satan over God. IMO, Satan is probably laughing at people when they do so. Why? Because I believe that we are on this earth to bear witness to Christ and our lives, when lived in accordance to His will, bring honor and glory to God. To destroy human life robs God of that glory. I can't help but see that Satan is partially to blame when you see serial killers, genocide, and even less conspicuous forms of evil.

John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

2 Corinthians 4:4
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 11:3
3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Ephesians 6:11-18
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

James 4:7
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

 

[Kcnorwood]

To think that Satan has only killed 7 people in biblical times seems ridiculous to me. Furthermore, How Jesus died so that we can receive salvation seems irrelevant. God didn't sacrfice his Son in the same way you would have if you were God.....big deal. It baffles me when people have the mindset of, ' If I was God I wouldn't have done it that way and therefore he isn't God or the God that I want to believe in.'.

It's pretty simple why Satan gets a bad wrap from a Christian vantage point and I guess it's no surprise that people would embrace Satan over God. IMO, Satan is probably laughing at people when they do so. Why? Because I believe that we are on this earth to bear witness to Christ and our lives, when lived in accordance to His will, bring honor and glory to God. To destroy human life robs God of that glory. I can't help but see that Satan is partially to blame when you see serial killers, genocide, and even less conspicuous forms of evil.

How can there be honor & glory when he brings so much death? YOu say that Satan is to blame but your God created Satan & let him do those very things.

 

[Ringer]

How can there be honor & glory when he brings so much death?

I didn't say that Satan brings God honor and glory. That is what we are on this earth to do.

YOu say that Satan is to blame but your God created Satan & let him do those very things.

You mean just like he created you yet you still have the ability to do evil?

 

[Kcnorwood]

I didn't say that Satan brings God honor and glory. That is what we are on this earth to do.

HE meaning God your God created Satan



You mean just like he created you yet you still have the ability to do evil?

We all make bad choices right and wrong no one is making us do those things.

 

[Azakel]

Please don't be offended Azakel. Im saying this is what i think the reason is for why some may see a christian more trustworthy than a non christian. I ve seen some nonchristians behave better than some christians in my time so it is not always the case, but i do notice myself the difference that people do trust me more than before i was saved.

Also, angels have freewill as much as we do, otherwise how would satan have fallen?
Nice meeting you by the way!

Not offended, that's what the ^_^ was for. And I just had woken up, dang cat. And nice to met you too.

 

[Darkness]

Because I believe that we are on this earth to bear witness to Christ and our lives, when lived in accordance to His will, bring honor and glory to God. To destroy human life robs God of that glory.

You make it sound as if God only cares about honor and glory. That is what Rev. John MacArthur believes. That God is utterly evil and an egotistical maniac.

Using the mind God gave me, I know that punishing those who refuse to conform to His slavish standards is evil. I know that sending a girl to hell for loving another girl is evil.

Let us pray. Almighty Father! Give me the strength to resist your will and have compassion on my fellow man. Give me the courage to spit in your face when You are condemning gays and lesbians. Give me the power not to give into the fear of Your damnation and fight for what is good and all costs.

Lucifer screamed, “I wonder if it is He who really cares about us at all!”
She shouted back, “How can you say that! How can you say that,
Lucifer? Who do you think you are to presume so arrogantly?”
“Who do I think I am? I know who I am!” Lucifer sneered, “How can you not ask that, sister? How can you not ask that? Are you so blindly faithful to His Will to never question Him?

 

[Pariah]

Let us pray. Almighty Father! Give me the strength to resist your will and have compassion on my fellow man. Give me the courage to spit in your face when You are condemning gays and lesbians. Give me the power not to give into the fear of Your damnation and fight for what is good and all costs.

Did you write this?

Lucifer screamed, “I wonder if it is He who really cares about us at all!”
She shouted back, “How can you say that! How can you say that,
Lucifer? Who do you think you are to presume so arrogantly?”
“Who do I think I am? I know who I am!” Lucifer sneered, “How can you not ask that, sister? How can you not ask that? Are you so blindly faithful to His Will to never question Him?

Did you write this?

 

[Darkness]

I wrote the first prayer... not the second dialogue.

 

[MoonWater]

I think Satan has received a bad rap. A reputation fueled my rumour, faith, heresay and biased writings. All anyone ever knows about Satan is what is written in the Bible and if one reads the Bible carefully, God clearly has demonstrated more atrocities and more deeds that many people would deem evil than Satan could ever do.

First of all I dont believe in Satan but that's not the point. Bibically your only hearing one side of the bible, second I believe that he was trying to enlighten us not damn us.
It seemed that for some reason God wanted humans to be like sheep & the devil thought we should be able to think for ourselves.

I agree with both these points. After all in the bible you only hear one side of the story. And as stated previously God seems to have comitted more attrocities on record than Lucifer has. And he brought us knowledge..... What's so wrong about that?

 

[MoonWater]

There's a small problem with this logic. It could be God that was given the bad rap. "A reputation fueled by rumor, faith, heresay, and biased writings."

If God actually does exist, perhaps this is his test to discover who the moral people really are. The ones who deny the Bible on the basis that Biblical God is an evil monster (which the Biblical God clearly is) will be the real God's favored ones.


eudaimonia,

Mark

hmm.... Interesting theory. Though that would mean Christines would go to hell and everyone else would go to heaven would it not. And I have to admit that is also not desirable. And then damnation would still be based on belief. Personally I doubt the real God would be so wicked and egotistical as to damn someone on the basis of a belief. I think you should be admited into heaven based on your deeds not on your beliefs.

 

[Ringer]

Let us pray. Almighty Father! Give me the strength to resist your will and have compassion on my fellow man. Give me the courage to spit in your face when You are condemning gays and lesbians. Give me the power not to give into the fear of Your damnation and fight for what is good and all costs.

Lucifer screamed, “I wonder if it is He who really cares about us at all!”
She shouted back, “How can you say that! How can you say that,
Lucifer? Who do you think you are to presume so arrogantly?”
“Who do I think I am? I know who I am!” Lucifer sneered, “How can you not ask that, sister? How can you not ask that? Are you so blindly faithful to His Will to never question Him?

You seem to hold Satan/Lucifer in such high regard. Tell me if you know so much about him, where are his inspired writings that I can learn what his will is for me? Where does he teach that he loves me so much and is willing to die for me? Am I on the earth for his purposes? To advance his kingdom? Is he here to bring meaning and happiness to my life? Maybe you don't see the God of the bible like I do but until you give me something besides your anti-God projections summed up into your symbolic Satan, I can't take what you say too seriously.

 

[Hope]

We all make bad choices right and wrong no one is making us do those things.

Likewise, God does not make Satan do anything and cannot be held responsible for Satan's actions.

 

[Hope]

First of all I dont believe in Satan but that's not the point. Bibically your only hearing one side of the bible, second I believe that he was trying to enlighten us not damn us.

His so-called "enlightenment" led to the Fall of mankind. I'm not sure I like that kind of "enlightenment."

It seemed that for some reason God wanted humans to be like sheep & the devil thought we should be able to think for ourselves.

Or the devil was merely appealing to our pride, knowing full well from his own experience what happens when you get too big for your britches......"pride goeth before a fall." It ain't no accident it's called the "Fall."

All sin/evil originates from pride. Think about it.

 

[MoonWater]

You seem to hold Satan/Lucifer in such high regard. Tell me if you know so much about him, where are his inspired writings that I can learn what his will is for me? Where does he teach that he loves me so much and is willing to die for me? Am I on the earth for his purposes? To advance his kingdom? Is he here to bring meaning and happiness to my life? Maybe you don't see the God of the bible like I do but until you give me something besides your anti-God projections summed up into your symbolic Satan, I can't take what you say too seriously.

No offense meant but I would like to point out that it can be hard to "see God as you do" when the bible depicts him doing many horrid deeds. Flooding the whole Earth(I find it hard to believe that noah and his family were the ONLY good souls left on the Earth at this time), Killing all the first born of Egypt(they were children for pete's sake), damning people to eternal hellfire simply because they don't believe, condoning slavery, telling rape victims to marry the ones who raped them, and many other things that humans would normally consider utterly barbaric and pure evil. Yet for some reason God can do all these things and no one is supposed to even raise an eyebrow? True perhaps my view is slightly jaded seeing as how I'm not a Christian. But then it could also be said, at least of those who take it too the extreme, that they are jaded as well. Anyway, again I have no wish to offend, just presenting the other side.